form vs function

I really need a tool cabinet and I am about to make one my decision on materials is my biggest issue I like most of you would like to make this cabinet out of some solid wood but I happen to have a boat load of birch plywood cut offs that are just a bit bigger than what I would be needing for such a tool chest. I can also accent the plywood with solid wood trim and a face frame out of solid wood I could stain it or use walnut and I can also veneer the sides of the cabinet with veneer that will look nicer than solid wood. I do want the cabinet to be nice but it is a tools chest and as such it is going to take a beating. So what do you guys think should I hold out for solid wood or should I go with what I have and what I have access too and simply make the tool cabinet and get the shop set up the way I want it to be?

I’d say go for it with the plywood. If you’re anything like me, and you wait for the perfect solid wood, the project could get put off for a long time… Another plus to doing it now is you can use it, figure out any little tweaks you’d make to the layout, and then build version 2.0 out of solid wood later. Looking forward to seeing the finished project whichever way you go.

I made my “temporary” experimental 1/2” plywood tool chests about 35 years ago. They have held up surprisingly well, no repairs. They were built to be portable and they got moved on site quite a bit. It was just common pine plywood, box jointed at the corners. Interior dividers provided lateral stability. Each completed empty box weighs less than 20 lbs.

In short, use the plywood and dress the edges with hardwood if you like. I think it would look nicer if you did.DanK

I would also go with using the plywood and accenting with solid wood. I really don’t see the advantage of using just solid wood throughout the project for a tool chest, other then if you beat the crap out of it and ding it up, you could always sand out the boo boo’s.

For me, the fun part would be taking what I already had and build an awesome tool chest that served both form and function.

Look forward to seeing your tool chest when finished. BTW. I liked your clamp rack. After I read all the post on your thread, it motivated me to change my clamp rack that I had been using for the past 20 some years.

If this cabinet is going to be a ‘Showroom’ piece and you are mounting it in close proximity to your 18th Century Bench then I may be inclined to research and build it according to the construction for that period.

Choosing laminated or glued-up panels or veneered plywood sides of the cabinets which will be exposed is a ‘beauty that’s in the eye of the beholder’ aspect.

At this juncture your “Shop Decor’ rules.

Best Regards.Work Safely and have Fun. – Grandpa Len

-- Mother Nature should be proud of what you've done with her tree. - Len ...just north of a stone's throw from the oHIo, river that is, in So. Indiana.

I’d go w/ the plywood. If your shop is like mine it gets cluttered pretty quickly w/ cutoffs and it is great when a project comes along where you can use them and help with the continual battle against clutter.

This was the question of the day do I go with form or function. My consensuses is that the need for storage at this time outweighs the need for a beautiful cabinet this is not to say you can not make a nice cabinet out of plywood as we all know you can. So many of you have said use what you have that I will go with that I know I would someday like to have a studley looking chest but my tools are modern and I need a great place to store them for daily use. I want to thank you all for your ideas and i will start with a sketch then have Dave make me a working plan in sketch up. I have a few unique things to deal with like a break front in the wall so I can make part of the cabinet deeper than the other part this will pose a few challenges. I think we can come up with a way to show and use most of my hand tools I will be starting a blog on this both here and on my website so people can follow along.

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply to my question I look forward to more input when I start the Blog.

Joe neither one of those dose it for me. I may build a chest for doing off site work though but for me I am thinking modern Studley wall cabinet only larger. There have been some that are quite nice but the fact remains that I need a large wall mounted cabinet I would never use peg board it looks cheesy to me . I know it is easy to do but I dont do easy I do nice and clean and organized I want great order in the chest I want structure.